Women’s Renewal Retreat: An Essential Holistic Health Experience!

Written by Nicki Balian, April 20, 2018

Calling forth all women whose middle name is multi-tasking! Any and all of you who strive for excellence in your career, seek depth in your relationships, harmony in your home and balance within. Life has a way of pulling us in so many directions at once it’s no wonder many of us are left at the end of the day feeling depleted, overworked, tired and anxious about the fact that we have to do it all over again the next day!

Well I’m here to invite you to take some time just for you; some time to revive, restore and renew your senses. This very special treatment will take you into the landscape of your body, mind and spirit utilizing Acupuncture, Therapeutic Massage and Essential Oils.

Life moves fast and demands much of our attention and energy. So often many of us are continually striving for something. Striving for more time, more money, more energy, more love, more happiness. All while searching for ways to feel less worried, less anxious, less stressed, less irritable, less discomfort. Contrary to what most of us are taught through social conventions and norms, what if we could actually have more by doing less! Would this be a radical shift in our perspective and how we operate in the world? What would life look like if we were to slow down, release our stress and truly nourish ourselves. What would be possible if we were to have the capacity to navigate through life with a tank that is full rather than pushing through on empty leaving nothing for ourselves but fumes.

In the Tradition of Chinese Medicine, we learn that all the hustle and bustle of our daily activity, the mental chatter and constant barrage of stimulation is taxing on our system. Chinese Medicine teaches us that balance and harmony function as a dynamic interplay of opposing forces. This means we need stillness and quiet just as much as we need action and arousal of our senses. Disharmony arises when over time we have too much of one and not the other. Because we each come bearing our own stories, our own unique histories, disharmony will often present itself differently for each of us. However, many common expressions of disharmony are muscle pain and tension, headaches, digestive upset, hormonal issues, anxiety, and depression.

Within the scope and practice of Chinese Medicine, acupuncture is one way in which we correct such imbalances and bring greater resilience and integrity to our systems. By placing fine needles in the body we are able to direct the bodies energies; giving more where we have been depleted and moving and releasing what has been stuck. And no, there is no medicine on the end of the needles! The true medicine is encoded within the intelligence of our cells. The body, like nature, is in an ever moment-to-moment assessment of the status of our system and continually working towards equilibrium. Or said in other words, balance and harmony is in fact our natural state.

So why therapeutic massage along with acupuncture? First of all, why not! Once the body and mind have settled into the deep state of relaxation as a result of the acupuncture treatment, the tissues of the body are all the more receptive to hands on therapy. Therapeutic massage is focused on targeting the muscles, tendons, ligaments and lymphatic system to further release tight, sore and overworked muscles. Whether from an injury or simply moving and sitting in very habitual ways, patterns of tension form within the body. These patterns of holding do not allow the for the muscles to ever fully and completely relax. Over time, this chronic state of tension leads to muscle weakness and further imbalance. Therapeutic massage utilizes specific techniques to manipulate the tissues to help clear congestion within the lymphatic system and helps to soften adhesions within the muscles. Therapeutic massage, unlike your traditional spa massage (don’t get me wrong, nothing wrong with spa massages), targets specific areas of tension thus, further assisting the body with cleansing and renewal.

Last but certainly not least, a very powerful way to enhance both acupuncture and therapeutic massage is the use of essential oils. Essential oils have been used for thousands of years for their lovely aromas and powerful therapeutic effects on the mind and body. Each essential oil has its own unique chemical and vibrational makeup which can have dramatic and lasting effects. When inhaled or applied topically to the body, essential oils can have an immediate effect of calming the mind, relieving tension, and opening the airways just to name a few.

Here at Healing InSight we are committed to educating and empowering you to lead a healthy and happy lifestyle. That means we want to provide you with information and at home self-care techniques that you can utilize at any time to relax your body, clear your mind and soothe your nervous system. After all, it is up to each of us to be our own best advocate for making the choices that keep us healthy, vibrant and present in our own lives.